Elk Creek 2007 Kentucky Blue Riesling

Tonight’s wine hails from Kentucky’s largest winery, Elk Creek Vineyards.  Nestled among the rolling hills in Owenton, Kentucky, the winery was established in 2003, and offers a spectacular setting for wine tasting.  Producing an assortment of award-winning wines, Elk Creek is committed to making the finest wines Kentucky soil has to offer.

I guarantee most people don’t think of Riesling when discussing Kentucky wines, but Elk Creek is giving it a go and succeeding.  Paired alongside a spicy Thai chicken dish, the 2007 Kentucky Blue Riesling played a nice supporting role.  Retailing for $14.99 and coming in at 12.5% alcohol, the wine displayed a light golden yellow in glass.  A floral nose with honeysuckle and white flowers preludes flavors of apple and peaches.  A semi-sweet wine with a clean, crisp finish.

Stay tuned for a future review of their 2007 Estate Cabernet Franc, recently reviewed in the Wine Enthusiast.  Cheers!

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2008 Sawtooth Riesling

I’ll be honest, other than at a restaurant or paired alongside the casual fruit and cheese platter, I was never a food and wine kind of guy.  That’s all changed in 2010.  More and more, I’m finding myself pouring through the pages of Food & Wine or Wine Spectator hoping to find the perfect pairing.  As a result, I hope to share more pairing suggestions this year and have included a new “pairings” category under “wine” for quick access.

In support of my new goal, tonight’s dinner featured a 2008 Sawtooth Riesling paired alongside a Thai Curry dish.  The 100% Estate Riesling is produced by Sawtooth Winery, located in the heart of the Snake River AVA in Idaho.  I’ve highlighted Sawtooth in the past (read more here) and frequently recommend to friends and family looking for a wine from the other 46 states.  Widely available at a number of retail outlets for $9.99, Sawtooth produced 1,960 cases of the 2008 Riesling.

Showing the typical apple, pear, and peach on the nose, the off-dry, medium-bodied Riesling proved to be a great match next to the spicy dish.  A delicious wine on its own, but even better with food.  Cheers!

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Ozan Vineyard and Wine Cellars 2007 Norton

Tonight’s wine comes to us from Ozan Vineyards & Cellars, located in Shelby County, Alabama.  A state typically known for their sweet Muscadine wines, the French Hybrid and Norton grapes have begun to take root.  With ten operating wineries across the state, Alabama is a relative newcomer to the wine world.  Recently passed legislation and a new wine trail have helped position Alabama as an up and coming wine destination for tourists and residents alike.

Estate grown and aged in American oak, the 2007 Norton clocked in at 13.2% alcohol.  A small production wine, only 100 cases were produced and is available for purchase online from their website for $17.99 (shipping available only to Alabama, Georgia, and Florida residents).  I also received a winery logo glass with my purchase (a nice touch).

I paired the Norton alongside a pulled pork sandwich topped with blue cheese and a Texas barbeque sauce.  Exhibiting a dark, rich color, the Norton had an intense aroma of plums and dark cherries.  In the mouth, a dry wine with dominant cherry, nutmeg, and spice throughout.  A very solid effort that left me excited to experience more Norton wines.  Be sure to visit Ozan Winery and tell them The Other 46 sent you.  Cheers!

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Cellardoor Winery & Vineyards is located in Lincolnville, Maine.  I would normally dedicate the next few lines to the wine industry, but would rather tell you why you need to experience Cellardoor for yourself.  But for those readers who would like a recap on the growing wine industry in Maine, be sure to check out fellow wine blogger, Carlo De Vito’s, excellent post over at the East Coast Wineries blog.

Cellardoor Vineyard Sweetheart

With so many wineries coming on the scene in the last 5 years, both domestically and internationally, we will never have a shortage of great wine to drink at all price points.  But for me personally, there is more to wine than what’s inside the bottle.  The team at Cellardoor is first class.  They answer emails, address my questions, and more importantly, share a great enthusiasm for their wine, brand, and industry.  As a consumer, I want more than just a bottle of wine, I want the experience.  Wineries like Cellardoor are the reason I drink wine and share my experiences in this blog.

But wait, what about the wine!  Let’s just say my wife was ready to jump on a plane and fly to Maine for a long weekend.  The Sweetheart was my first Concord grape wine and will not be my last.  As recommended on their website (which by the way, is excellent), the wine paired perfectly with the PB&J.  In fact, I’m craving it now.

I not only recommend the Sweetheart label, but I strongly urge you to experience Cellardoor for yourself, and be sure to tell them The Other 46 sent you.

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Harvesting Malbec at Tiger Mountain Vineyards. Photo Credit: Peter McIntosh

The 2007 Malbec comes in at 12% alcohol, includes a cork closure, and is made up of 90% of the varietal grape.  A splash of Tannat was added for color and more tannin.  The wine retails for $22 and is available for purchase from the winery.  We decided to pair alongside locally made beef empanadas from Whole Foods.  Our cheese expert recommended two cheeses, a Pata Cabra goat cheese, and a Mahon Do Reserve spanish cheese.

Due to the young age, I chose to decant and let sit for an hour before pouring.  A great decision, because the wine opened up nicely.  In the glass, the wine exhibited a beautiful, deep, inky color.  On the nose, I picked up plum, hickory smoke, currant, and strawberries.  The bouquet on this wine is worth the price of admission.  In the mouth, I got raspberries and strawberries.  A surprisingly smooth, light bodied wine, that paired perfectly with our selections.

Tiger Mountain Vineyards 2007 Malbec

Once again, Tiger Mountain Vineyards has produced a crowd pleaser and proves Malbec has a bright future, high in the North Georgia mountains!

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Sawtooth Winery 2007 Pinot Gris

Tonight we poured the 2007 Pinot Gris, alongside a spicy, Thai chicken dish with brown rice.  The wine comes in a screwtop, and clocks in at 12.8% alcohol.  Surprisingly, only 260 cases were produced, but was still available at Total Wine.  A quick note from the winery about fermentation:

80% fermented in stainless fermentors to preserve the fruit flavors of Pinot Gris. 20% barrel fermented in oak cooperage and ages on the lees for 5 months, bringing rich mouth feel and intensity. We then blend the two wines to create a wine that has the nice fruit flavors of Pinot Gris but also richness and mouth feel.

On the nose, I picked up lemon, a hint of pear, and citrus notes.  In the mouth, granny smith apples were dominant throughout.  The wine was sweeter than I expected, but still maintained a clean, crisp mouthfeel.  Paired alongside the Thai dish, it played nicely against the spice and proved to be a great match. All in all, a good wine, and a great example of Idaho’s potential.

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